Category Archives: Family

Alphabet Dating In Japan With My Wife Who Was Completely Unaware Of The Task At Hand! (S01E03: K-O)

  When I heard this idea on the radio a few years ago I thought it might be something that I could try as a way of motivating myself to go to some places with my wife that I’m usually … Continue reading

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Alphabet Dating In Japan With My Wife Who Was Completely Unaware Of The Task At Hand! (S01E01: A-E)

  When I heard this idea on the radio a few years ago I thought it might be something that I could try as a way of motivating myself to go to some places with my wife that I’m usually … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Food & Drink | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Japan’s Cheapest “Beer” Cans, Family Cup Noodle Time, McShakes, Star Wars Day, Dogs & Dinosaurs!

Back in early May it was the Japanese holiday season known as Golden Week and my wife and I (despite yet another State of Emergency in Tokyo!) decided to still head off as planned to the Izu Penisnula to spend … Continue reading

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At One With Nature In Izu: The Jogaskai Coast, Mount Komuro, Mount Omuro & Ippeki Lake

  One of the most obvious and best things about going to Izu (Shizuoka Prefecture) every few months is the abundant nature in the vicinity of my parents-in-law`s home in Ito. It`s a world away from the city life we … Continue reading

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One Of The Most Mystical And Picturesque Power Spots In Japan

Much has been written about the sight of hundreds of beautiful red torii gates at the likes of Motonosumi Shrine (Yamaguchi), Takayama Inari-Jinja Shrine (Aomori) and of course the hugely popular Fushimi Inari (Kyoto). They are all absolutely awesome places … Continue reading

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2 Trips To Izu In 3 Days! Yuzu Fruit Picking, Mountains, Parks, Lakes & Dog Walking!

  There’s nothing like a nice three-day break with your family in the Japanese countryside. However, due to negligence on my part I forgot to request the time off work until it was too late! Subsequently, I had to return … Continue reading

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The Shrine With A Sacred Tree Which Is Over 2000 Years Old

Think of famous trees in Japan and many would probably come up with Jomonsugi on Yakushima island which possesses a giant cedar tree estimated to be 2000 to 7200 years old. That is said to be the oldest tree in Japan … Continue reading

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Christmas 2020 In Tokyo

  The whole Covid_19 business has meant that I am very grateful that we went back to the UK for the festive season twelve months ago. Admittedly I thought it would be better to go back this December but thankfully … Continue reading

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The Sea Cave In Shizuoka That Sprays Seawater Several Metres Into The Air

After countless trips to Ito on the Izu Peninsula there really aren’t that many local places which I haven’t been to but this time my father-in-law, on a whim, took us to a new location. The original plan at first though … Continue reading

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Puppy Love Pt II: When Maron (Finally) Met Cocoa

When our beloved family dog “Momiji” (a chihuahua-poodle mix known in Japanese as a chipoo) went to heaven last year it left a huge void in our lives. Time does move on though and seven months later my wife and … Continue reading

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